Lufthansa, cabin crew union agree arbitration process

FILE - In this Thursday, March 16, 2017 file photo Lufthansa flight attendants silhouetted as they pose for a photograph on occasion of the company's annual press conference in Munich, Germany. Germany's Lufthansa and a union representing cabin crew said Friday that they have agreed on a wide-ranging arbitration process to resolve a bitter long-running dispute, staving off any further strikes for the time being. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, file)

BERLIN – Germany's Lufthansa and a union representing cabin crew said Friday that they have agreed on a wide-ranging arbitration process to resolve a bitter long-running dispute, staving off any further strikes for the time being.

Lufthansa and the UFO union have been at loggerheads for months over a range of issues, including pay for some 22,000 cabin crew members and the union's legal status. The dispute has featured walkouts that resulted in some 2,000 flight cancellations.

As a first move, Lufthansa will extend layover times in Japan and South Korea and give employees a one-time special payment of 1,500 euros ($1,650) each with their next monthly salary. On the other side, UFO won't call any further strikes until the arbitration process is concluded.

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